Nigeria - I Thank You God

I Thank You God

By: Bernard Dadi

I thank you God for creating me black,
For making of me
Porter of all sorrows
Setting on my head
The World.
I swear the Centaur’s hide
And I have carried the World since the first evening.

I am glad
Of the shape of my head
Made to carry the World,
Content
With the shape of my nose
That must snuff every wing of the world
Pleased
With the shape of my legs
Ready to run all the hats of the world

Thank you God for creating me black
For making of me
Porter of all sorrows

Thirsty-six swords have pierced my heart
Thirty six fires have burnt my body.
And my blood on all calvaries has reduced the snow
And my blood at every dawn has reddened all nature

Still I am
Glad to carry the World,
Glad of my short arms
. of my long legs
. of the thickness of my lips.

I thank you God for creating my black,
White is a colour for special occasions
Black the color for everyday
And I have carried the World since the dawn of time
And my laugh over the World, through the night, creates the Day.

I thank you God for creating me black.

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